Lifestyle Changes to Manage Epilepsy

The following are general guidelines you can follow to reduce your risk of seizures:

Develop a sleep routine. Try to go to bed at the same time and sleep the same number of hours. This is important because lack of sleep can lower the seizure threshold and increase the risk of seizures.

Avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol also lowers the threshold and increases the risk of seizures. Alcohol also interacts with the anti-epileptic drugs, which can lead to seizures.

Always tell your doctors that you have a seizure disorder. Many medications prescribed for various conditions may cause drug interactions and cause seizures, or lower the seizure threshold and cause seizures.

Discuss driving privileges with your doctor, as each case and state requirements differ.

Ketogenic Diet

In some patients, especially children, a strict diet rich in fats and low in carbohydrates may help lessen the number of seizures.
This is called the
ketogenic diet.

The ketogenic diet forces the body to break down fats rather than carbohydrates to provide the energy needed to survive. It is usually tried in children whose epileptic seizures are poorly controlled with medicine. One study showed that the diet decreased the frequency of seizures 50%-90% in 75% of the patients studied.
Another study comparing the ketogenic diet to no change in treatment showed that the diet may reduce seizures in children. It is not known exactly why the diet helps decrease seizures.

This diet is not easy to follow. It is very rigid, and the number of foods available to eat is very limited. Children are usually admitted to the hospital to begin this diet and must be followed very closely by a doctor and/or registered dietitian while they are on the diet. It also has possible side effects. These include:

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.